Chance/match an indecisive MA senior [3.98/1580, education or psychology]

Chance Me / Match Me!
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I posted on here before my junior year but low key had no idea what I was doing, so here’s a revised chance/match me!

Demographics

  • US domestic (MA)
  • Public high school
  • Asian/white
  • Diagnosed w/ combined type ADHD
  • LGBTQ+ gender non-conforming (assigned female at birth)
  • Senior

Intended Major(s) - considering:

Applying for education or psychology, sometimes English/creative writing depending on the school (e.g. Kenyon). The goal is to be either a secondary school English teacher or work in educational administration/policy, potentially in a role serving LGBTQ+ students (e.g. starting Safe Schools Programs in other states). I am also interested in performing research in educational psychology or abnormal psychology surrounding diverse children’s literature and/or ADHD.

GPA, Rank, and Test Scores

  • 3.98 unweighted (all As/A+s except for A- in AP Physics 1 junior year and B- in dual enrollment multivariable calculus first semester of junior year; dual enrollment does not factor into my school’s GPA calculations)
  • no class rank or percentage
  • 1580 SAT (790 on each subtest)

Coursework

  • Sophomore year: AP Calculus BC (5 overall & in AB subscore)
  • Junior year: AP Physics 1 (5), AP Spanish (5); self-studied AP English Lang (5), AP US Gov (5), & AP Psych (4; intending to retake). Took an extra seminar on Diversity in Children’s Literature that appears on my transcript (program through school that allows teachers to teach special interest classes after school).
  • Senior year: AP Physics C, AP Biology, AP Statistics, Latin 4H2 (essentially AP Latin); intending to self-study AP English Lit and retake AP Psych

My school does not offer APs in humanities besides foreign languages (French, Spanish, Chinese).

Awards

  • 4x Regional Gold Key - Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
  • Excellence in World Languages Award (schoolwide; from MA Foreign Language Association)
  • MA Foreign Language Association schoolwide award for Spanish (received junior year but normally presented to a senior)
  • William & Mary book award (I know this is relatively small potatoes)
  • Winner of school poetry contest
  • Summa cum laude (Gold medal) - National Latin Exam x4
  • Taekwondo 1st degree black belt, but haven’t participated in TKD since I began high school
  • Advancing Equity and Justice Award from MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth
  • Anticipating 2Volunteer Presidential Service Award - Young Adult Gold (250+ community service hours in one calendar year)
  • AP Scholar w/ Distinction
  • National Merit Semifinalist

Extracurriculars

  • Gender & Sexuality Alliance (vice president sophomore year, president since junior year)
  • Member of Mentors in Violence Prevention club
  • Student DEIB council
  • National Charity League
  • State program for LGBTQ student leaders (facilitate student meetings, help with professional development for staff, serve on state education commissions, etc)
  • Attended the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop the summer before my junior year; attended Sewanee Young Writers Conference the summer before my senior year
  • Fellowship at local LGBTQ+ youth activism nonprofit; perform administrative and volunteer support tasks
  • Administrative lead for another youth activism nonprofit
  • Poetry editor for youth literary magazine
  • Contributor of one Amazon-published poetry anthology and editor of another
  • Three years working as a lifeguard/camp counselor in the summer
  • Piano for 11 years
  • Dance for 9 years, member of Senior Company
  • National Honor Society

Cost Constraints / Budget
I will be full pay unless I receive non-need-based merit aid.

Schools:

  • Safeties: Clark, potentially UMass Amherst/UPitt/Wheaton College (MA) - I am terribly indecisive
  • Matches (Likelies/Targets lumped together): Kenyon, probably also Northeastern
  • Reaches: Brown (ED), Tufts, Wesleyan

College Likes

  • New England/east coast preferred
  • Have mostly been considering small/mid-sized LACs and smaller universities with strong research programs, some women’s colleges
  • Smaller classes (I’ve been doing the percentages based on the CDS) and/or opportunities to get to know teachers well
  • Open curriculum/acceptance of AP credits for advanced standing considered a plus
  • Opportunities for undergrad research in education/psychology considered a plus
  • Bonus for 5 year masters in education (preferred) or psychology
  • For likely admits, decent merit aid
  • I’m trying not to care too much about prestige, but I would like to add a few more T20/T30s (partially because of family pressure)

College Dislikes

  • Intense sports culture
  • Intense drinking/partying culture
  • Dominant Greek life
  • Super outdoorsy (e.g. Bowdoin)
  • More than 60-70% white
  • Student body being majority wealthy and elitist about it
  • Spread out/super urban campus (e.g. NYU)

I have a list of colleges I was planning to potentially add to my list that I can share below, but I’m curious to see what y’all think would be a good fit for me, as well as what my chances would be at Brown/my other schools. I am looking to add mostly reaches/targets/likelies and to finalize my second/potentially third safeties. Thanks for your help!

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You should probably consider Hamilton for its semester-length program at the New England Center for Children:

Preeminent behaviorist B. F. Skinner graduated from here.

Hamilton also offers a top-level creative writing program and an open curriculum.

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So if you have a learning plan or need support services, you’ll want to ensure all your school choices can support that. I’m not sure that should be noted up front though. Schools are taxed on resources and you want to sell your candidacy - and this could hurt it.

As for LGBTQ, obviously you want a campus you can be comfortable. But if you think it’s a reason school’s will accept you, I don’t think it is. Your sexuality is not relevant to whether to admit you or not.

If you want to be an English teacher, you might consider lower cost schools given the salary trajectory of a teacher. And I would say your list is definitely not set up for this.

So you have several safeties and they’re fine - but Pitt will be near $60K and UMASS $33K before merit. So for a teaching job, if that’s truly the goal, even a UMASS branch, if it were cheaper, would work. So that’s where budget comes in.

Wesleyan and Northeastern are very pricey - so again, if you’re teaching. Wesleyan, Brown and Tufts - none have merit aid. So is it worth paying $375K for a job that will pay $51K or so regardless of if you go to Tufts or U Mass Lowell? Well, you also have to ensure these schools can even make you teachers.

As for Kenyon, it’s great for Creative Writing but many LGBTQ students seemed to be turned off by state policies - so you might want to look into that.

If you wanted inexpensive - based on your merit, it’d be schools like Alabama which would be dirt cheap for you. It was a wonderful Campus Pride Index score, but again, it’s in a state most would say are hostile. You’d be out at $20K a year. That’s why 438 Mass residents are likely there - as well as nearly 2000 from NY/NJ/CT. Not saying it’s right for you but letting you know about from a cost POV.

Perhaps schools like UMaine, URI, UVM, Delaware, etc. might give an environment you like at a lower cost. Or LACs like a Kalamazoo, Wooster, Susquehana - if cost is a concern due to teaching.

For creative writing, Emory and Sewanee (U of the South) are excellent as is U of Iowa.

You have a great profile - and many options - but I do wonder about teaching -if it’s truly the goal, how your family will think about the RO because the where will matter less.

I don’t think anyone can say Wesleyan and NEU are matches but you certainly have a chance as you do at your reaches. And your safeties and Kenyon are very highly likely.

Good luck.

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OP said they’re “LGBTQ+ gender non-conforming”, wants:

And doesn’t want:

Sorry, I just don’t see how Alabama is in any way a fit for this student.

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I like your varied list. I think you have good reasons to stay in the northeast!

Since you are considering Wheaton in MA, how about Stonehill? Very similar and we know some happy grads from there.

You have as good a chance as anyone for Brown or Tufts, your reaches…so apply and see.

I will say, our kids didn’t like the football culture at some of the southern public universities…the tailgating before games etc. If you wouldn’t like that, don’t feel badly about not applying to those colleges.

If you are looking for lower cost options, please let us know here…but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

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I get it - I was pointing out budget stuff. One can say the same about having kenyon and yes I mentioned Iowa and Sewanee.

It was more a discussion about if the student wants to teach and budget. It’s simply an example of what high achievement can do - and nothing that if you’re going for teaching, budget should matter - and OP noted merit would be good. I also pointed out other “lesser” pedigree schools in the NE including a branch - just noting that if teaching is the goal, the ROI makes more sense.

The OP mentioned having to be at a high pedigree school, etc. which doesn’t always align with teaching - and it’s more along the lines of how someone might think about the overall situation.

Thanks

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Here are some schools to avoid…

Alabama is number 10 “most LGBQ unfriendly” and regarding Greek life there own website claims they are #1…

“With around 12,000 students, the UA Greek community comprises 36 percent of the undergraduate student body and is home to 70 social Greek-letter organizations. Since Fall 2011, The University of Alabama has held the coveted honor of being the largest fraternity and sorority community in the nation with regard to overall fraternity and sorority membership.”

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Campus Pride says 4.5 which is outstanding whereas a top LAC, known for it’s openness such as Vassar is a not very friendly 3.5.
,
Again, this was made and I go to this school because the merit is so cut and dry unlike others, it’s easy to quote - and I noted Maine and RI and U Mass Lowell - but there are schools on that like, like SCU that many feel is very welcoming and open on the published lists.

My point being - if teaching is the goal and I get the family prestige pressure OP has, but they might look from an ROI POV.

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New Englander here and career educator. I can’t tell you how many teachers I know who got their degrees at Columbia Teachers College. Believe me…that aligns very very well with cutting edge teaching.

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My dad for one😀.

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Columbia isn’t on the list and I’m talking about ROI - as I mentioend.

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The OP said they could be full pay unless they got a merit award.

If that isn’t the case, I’ve asked the OP to clarify whether they want lower cost colleges. They might not.

Maybe they are considering Columbia for a masters. We don’t know.

The OP will let us know if they want less costly options.

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Listen. I will try to be polite yet I will probably get flagged and post removed for this but I find it incredibly frustrating when you suggest Alabama to almost every student, despite what they have indicated to be their preferences, and despite their financial needs. This is a gender non-conforming student who has asked for a LGBTQ friendly campus with no dominant Greek life and who has not expressed budgetary concerns. It’s like you don’t listen because you are too busy talking, giving your very one-sided advice (ROI was never mentioned by the OP). Also, some of us went to highly selective schools and chose the path of teaching often obtaining advanced degrees along the way. Aspiring to teach shouldn’t relegate a person to a state college if that’s not the environment they are seeking. My daughter’s favorite teacher went to Yale. Please stop.

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Here is a general message which applies to this thread, but not only to this thread:

Posts in a Chance Me thread should be directed at the OP. These are not the types of threads where doubling down on your position / getting the last word / indiscriminate post flagging is warranted or appreciated.

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With respect to schools that seem to be especially LGBTQ friendly, this site, which is based on responses to surveys of students, may be of interest:

From your current list, Wesleyan and Clark University appear.

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What about Muhlenberg? I apologize if this has been mentioned.

FYI: when my kids were in HS (public) they had teachers who attended Duke, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Emory, and Cornell.

My daughter attended UNC and did did Teach for America. Her peers attended Yale and similar schools.

My colleague (I currently work in a school) attended Dartmouth and when I was in grad school my supervisor attended MIT.

My older daughter went to one of our state schools (that most have never heard of) and did her masters at Teacher’s College.

OP: If you decide to go into education you can certainly go to your state school if you want (there are outstanding state schools) but you don’t have to.

OP: TC has an excellent education policy masters if you decide to go.

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I like your list. Maybe add Bard?

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I like your list. No notes.

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